Case study: Accelerators for a Sustainable Future

Climate change is a hot topic in science at this moment in time: taking stock of the changes already happening, understanding the dangers, reducing our contribution to climate change and developing new clean energy sources are just some of the issues that scientists from all disciplines are addressing. Many applications of accelerators have been found that can help in the on-going efforts on climate change, ranging from the study of air pollutants in the atmosphere to developing alternative energy sources such as hydrogen fuel.

Water and Flue Gas Treatment

Fuelled by the demands of research, accelerator technology is developing at such a rate that the use of electron accelerators to destroy sulphur oxides and nitrous oxides pumped into the atmosphere by factories and power plants is now becoming a realistic, even better option for companies looking to reduce harmful emissions. Another potential application of electron beam accelerators is in the treatment of waste water. Efficient oxidising molecules are produced by the interaction between the ionising radiation and particles in the water, which leads to cleaner water.

Controlling power plant gas emission: Treatment of the gasses from power plants by small electron accelerators in the flues of these power stations could help to reduce the level of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. Image credit: Pomorzany power plant, Poland –Pkuczynski

Study of Atmospheric Aerosols

Particle accelerators are used to generate X-rays for microscopy techniques used in studying the composition of, and therefore the origins of, atmospheric aerosols. Two such techniques: Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscopy (STXM), using X-rays emitted due to synchrotron radiation by a specialized particle accelerator, and Particle-Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) spectrometry, are carried out at the Advanced Light Source (ALS) at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) in the US. These studies are important in helping us understand the effects on the climate of pollution from various sources.

Climate change: A change in the world climate due to global warming is a major concern worldwide and much research into the effect of atmospheric aerosols on the climate is being carried out globally. Image credit: William Putman, NASA Goddard

Fuel Cell Research

Techniques like Grazing-Incidence Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (GISAXS), which uses synchrotron radiation produced by particle accelerators, and Low-Energy Electron Diffraction Spectroscopy (LEEDS), where the diffraction of electrons from a particle accelerator is measured and used to understand the surface structure of crystalline materials, are used to study the potential of new materials for application in new more powerful batteries and fuel cells for hydrogen driven cars.

Solar Cell Research

Studies of the structure of organic solar cells using specialist spectroscopy and reflectometry techniques at synchrotron radiation facilities are helping to improve our understanding of organic solar cells. This research is helping to make the dream of cheaper, mass produced solar cells a reality, meaning that solar power will have the potential to one day become a realistic alternative to fossil fuels.

Hydrogen Fuel Research

Scientists are using state-of-the-art spectroscopy techniques requiring particle accelerators to gain a deeper understanding of materials with potential uses for hydrogen storage and in electrochemical cells that turn water into fuel!

The Accelerators for Society project is sponsored by the TIARA project, co-funded by the European Commission within the Framework Programme 7 Capacities Specific Programme. | Design: Simon Holzman | All pictures belong to their respective owners. | All rights reserved | Legal statement